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Format Format the document BEFORE you draft. –1” margins –12 pt Times New Roman –Double space –# the lines –Header: ###### pg # –Bold your thesis (If you’re drafting in arguments, it should be at the top of each argument)

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Consider this... Concession: Agreeing or acknowledging a point on the other side of an issue –Not a weakness! Strengthens ethical appeal Makes you seem understanding, knowledgeable Actually makes you stronger

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Getting to the Con Use a transition word/phrase from topic of arg to your opposition –Critics often claim –Admittedly –It is true that –It is often argued that Cited Fact Opposition CM –Ex: "It is often argued that school uniforms improve academic performance."

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My Side of the Argument After opp commentary, intro your rebuttal (a.k.a. counterargument): Transition words are useful –“But,” –“Nevertheless,” –“However,” or –“What this opinion fails to take into account is that…”

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Uniform Example Schools without uniforms can be pillars of academic excellence. It is often argued that school uniforms improve academic performance. In fact, a 2002 study of 12 schools in the greater Chicago area found that scores improved when schools started requiring uniforms (Johnson and Beal). Perhaps students became less worried about having the right clothes to fit in, which meant they concentrated more fully on academic subjects. This argument, however, does not take into account the fact that, as child psychologists have found, teenagers will worry about their looks no matter what they are wearing (Childs 93). They will try to modify and accessorize their school uniforms, as well as change their hairstyles to fit in with their friends. Furthermore, just because academic scores improved in these schools, it is no guarantee the change to uniforms was the reason for the increased scores... Red – Opp transitionBlue – Opp CDGreen – Con CM Gold – Rebuttal transitionPurple – Rebuttal CDOrange – Rebuttal CM